Automatic carton erecting machine



E0 wmmw 5 a July 24, 1951 BENOIT ETAL AUTOMATIC CARTON ERECTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 July 24, 1951 L. BENOIT ET AL AUTOMATIC CARTONERECTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 July 24, 1951 BENOIT ETAL 2,561,776

AUTOMATIC CARTON ERECTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 11K k w July 24, 1951 BENOIT ET AL 2,561,776

AUTOMATIC CARTON ERECTING MACHINE m a l/Z parts together.

Patented July 24, 1951 AUTOMATIC CARTON EBECTING MACHINE Leon Benoit, New York, and Raymond Vahle,

Tappan, N. Y., assignor to Robert Gair Compa s, by mesne assignments, ny, Inc., New York, Y.,

a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1945, Serial No. 632,857

24 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a machine for automatically erecting cartons of a cellular holder type adapted to contain and to protect within its cells articles such as eggs, fruits, candies and the like, and it is more particularly described as a machine for setting up a. doublelock carton formed from a pair of similar blanks having flaps on each blank adapted to form transverse cross walls with hooks at the extremities which are forced through slits in the 010- posite sides and thus providing a double, interlocking, unitary structure having cells with yielding walls for containing articles therein.

An important object of the invention is to provide asimple automatic machine having similar mechanisms disposed at opposite sides of the center and operating in unison on similar or complementary blanks fed from stacks at opposite sides of the machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic carton erecting machine in which opposite flat carton blanks are fed inwardly together, the flaps turned and interconnected for forming a double-lock carton with the flaps open and extending upwardly.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an assembling machine for a cellular carton made from a pair of similar blanks each having a row of flaps which are turned to form cross walls and engaged with the side wall of the opposite blank and resiliently lockin the Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suggestive embodiment of the invention in which Fig. l is front elevation of a carton erecting machine in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine shown in Fig. 3 is a perspective of one ofthe carton guide plates;

Figs. 4 to 14 inclusive show certain of the operating parts of the machine in succesive operating positions with respect to the carton blanks; Fig. 4 with the blanks fed inwardly and the flaps turned at right angles;

Fig. 5 with the outer edges of the blanks tipped upwardly and the blanks fed inwardly together;

Fig. 6 with the flaps of the blanks extendin oppositely together in pairs to form cross walls;

Fig. 7 with the blanks and cross walls fed downwardly together;

Fig. 9 with the carriages moved apart but engaging the flaps of the blanks and the upper and lower die members approaching the blanks to engage the cross walls;

Fig. 10 with the. carriages moved partially together with the upper and lower die members moved upwardly between them gripping the cross walls; a

Fig. 11 with the carriages further advanced toward each other until the angles between the flaps and the side walls of the cartons are quite sharp, the holding dies being near the top of their movement and the hooks of the flaps forced through the slits side walls;

Fig. 12 with the dies in the beginningof their downward movement forcing the hooks to shift and engage in the slits of the carton walls;

Fig. 13 with a. continuation of the downward movement of the dies and the connected blanks freeing the blanks from the guiding plate and fingers;

Fig. 14 with an erected carton discharged at the bottom below the carriages andreleased from engagement with the die blocks ready for ejection in complete erected condition; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective of an assembled and erected carton of the type to which this machine is applicable.

. Thisinvention relates to a machine for auto-- 'matically erecting a cellular carton of the type which comprises two identical or complementary blanks each having flaps which when turned at 90 degrees become the cross walls of the opposite adjacent cellular section, the cross walls having hooks which areengaged through the slots of the opposite walls and thereby forming a double locked carton connecting the two sections of the carton when it is erected. In the. present invention there are two carriages which receive carton blanks from opposite sides and move toward and from each other-in completing a movement cycle. During the,

movement cycle, each blank is fed forwardly, the

flaps are turned and the blanks are moved down- Fig. 8 with the blanks fed still further downward to their lowermost position;

warclly together to interengage the opposite blanks and to form a completely erected carton.

While one carton is undergoing its erecting in the machine, a pair of blanks for a second or other cartons may be started therethrough. In

this way the operation of the machine is continuous, progressive and automatic. .Referring now more particularly to the drawings',particularly Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of carton blanks is fed simultaneously from the opposite sides of the machine, each blank l0 being cut,

and turned at 90 degrees, it extends outwardly or oppositely from the edge of the bottom M and across the bottom of the opposite carton section when it is erected to form acarton.

- At the outer edge of each flap is a hook lug 23 for engaging a corresponding side lock of the; opposite blank, each lock comprising a locking slit 28 for engagement with its hook lug 23. This cross and side wall lock construction is such that the hook lugs 23 of one carton blank are extended and pushed through the locking slits 2B -of the opposite carton section, th extremity of each hook being inserted between the slit and the hook being displaced longitudinally to engage and lock beyond the end'of the slit.

A suitable automatic machine for assembling "and erecting such cartons is shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and- 2 and comprises a framed support 40 having an operating shaft 4| suitably mounted therein and extending from front to back of the frame with a driving wheel or sprocket 42 on the shaft for power operation. Slidable on top of the support at each side of the shaft is a carriage having a lower gear mounting portion 43 and. anupper inwardly extending carton blank carrier 44. In the gear mounting portion is a shaft 45 extending parallel with the driving shaft 4| and connected thereto by a sprocket 46 mounted on shaft 45, a

sprocket chain 46a extending thereover and around a sprocket 41 mounted on a lower shaft 48. To this shaft 48 is connected a sprocket 49 which is then connected by. a sprocket chain 50 with a sprocket on the shaft 4|. To permit movement of the carriage, the'sprocket shaft 48 is mounted for movement on links and 52,

'link 5| being freely connected at one end to the the shaft 48 has a floating connection and is raised and lowered to maintain the driving relation between shafts 4| and 45 as the carriage is moved to and fro on the frame 40.

To effect timed movement of the carriage a lever 53 which may be in the form of a bell crank is rotatable upon a pivot 54, intermediate its ends, the upper end is pivotally connected by means of a link 55 which is also pivoted to an extension 56 of the lower carriage 43, and .the other end of the lever 53 is connected by a projection 51 with a suitably formed cam slot ina cam member 58 mounted on the shaft 4|. Thus in accordance with the shape of the cam,

the carriage will be reciprocated in timed relation for receiving and feeding the carton blanks as the shaft 4| is rotated and a proper driving connection is maintained at all times with the shaft 45.

Mounted at the top of the carton blank carrier is a guide plate 60 having a fiat top or table portion 6| (see Fig. 3) and a downwardly turned 4 I continuing as a wider slot 65 near the bottom thereof. Also mounted near the top of the carton blank carrier is a shaft 66 having a plurality of friction rollers 61 thereon preferably one for each of the openings 63 and partially projecting therethrough to engage the underside of a carton blank on the plate for feeding it forwardly. To rotate the shaft asprocket 68 is provided at one end to which a chain 69 is connected which passes around a sprocket wheel 10 secured to theshaft 45.

A press'er roller H is mounted at its ends in a yoke 12, the: ends of the yoke being mounted on pivots. 13 at the front and rear of the carton blank carrier adjacent the inner end thereof. This yoke is raised and lowered by a rod 14 extending at its upper end through a bracket 15 and having a forked extremity 16 at its lower endextending over the shaft 45 so that the rod can be raised and lowered with respect thereto, the raising and lowering. action being effected by means of a projection l1 engaging a cam 18. With this construction the continued rotation of the shaft 45 causesthe rod 14 to be raised and lowered moving-a roller 1| downwardly to press a carton blank downwardly into engagement with the rollers Bl for feeding blanks forwardly in timed relation with each other and to the movements of the carriages.

As the flat carton blanks are fed. inwardly the bendable flaps which are to be turned at right angles to form the cross walls are movedinto engagement with a number of u -shaped clips each of which is mounted in a block 8| having a projecting stem 82 extending through a support 83 at one end of the carriage. Each stem is connected to a link 84, theupper end of which has a pivot 85 for mounting it in a suitable hole in a movable cross-piece 86. The cross-piece is reciprocated endwisewhich rocks the clips in timed relationto the feeding movement of the carton blanks to receive the flaps and bend them substantially at right angles to the remainder of the carton blank. I

In order to reciprocate the cross-piece 86 it is provided at one end with a slot 8'1, engaged by a projection 88'at one end of a lever 89 pivoted at one end of a rock shaft 90 suitably mountedat the end ofthe carriage in brackets 9|. An arm 92 is secured to the shaft and has a pivot 93 at its free end connecting-it to the upper end of a link 94' which is pivoted to the upper end of a slide 95 by a pivot pin 96. The slide is mounted for vertical movement with respect to the car-- riage by a bracket :91 and near its lower end it has a projection 98- engaging in. a cam groove in a plate 99"mounted on shaft 45 so that the rotation of the cam platewill cause corresponding movement of the slide 95 and rocking of the shaft 90 and'consequent movement of the flap engaging clips 80.

The carton blanks are fed inwardly by the rollers .61 and H, the flaps are engaged and turned by the clips 80, and each carton blank is For this purpose a shaft I08 is suitably mounted transversely of each carriage havingan arm |0| secured to one end'ofthe shaft and adapted to engage a cam I02m'ounted on a shaft 45. Also mounted on the shaft intermediate the ends (see Figs. 4 to 14) are blocks. |0'3".'each having a bar lll4'supported thereby and extending upwardly therefrom to a point below the guide plate 60.

"carton blank.

At the upper end of the bar, a lever I05 is freely to the adjacent portion of the bar I04 so that the spring tends to thrust the engagement tooth I06 through the openings and the slots of the 1 guide plate as the shaft I is rocked and the bar I04 moved therewith. The shaft I00 is reciprocated by the engagement of arm WI and cam I02 which rocks each of the toothed levers backward and forward, the levers I05 each having an inclined end portion I08 which adapts them to engage below the upper portion of the plate 80, in one limiting position and to be thrust upwardlythrough the guide plate 60 behind and to engage the rear edge of a carton blank on the plate. After a blank has been thus engaged and moved forwardly and downwardly the toothed leversare returned to their upper position and the next carton blank is similarly engaged.

Overlying the guide plate and spaced therefrom between the slots thereof area plurality of guiding fingers (see Fig. 4) each having a support I09 extending downwardly secured to the carriage above the plate with an upward extending portion IIO overlying the upper slotted portion 52 of the plate and with a downwardly extending portion III extending over the lower slotted portion of the plate and terminating in a fiat abutment portion Illa in advance of the lower extremity of the guide plate. Both of the extending portions H0 and III are spaced sufliciently from the guide plate 60 to permit a carton blank to pass freely therebetween, and the extensions of adjacent fingers being spaced apart to permit the turned flaps of a carton to pass freely between adjacent fingers and to assist in holdingthe turned flaps in their relative position at right angles to the remaining portion of the The 'carton blankflaps, as I8 in Fig. 5, are also "commonly provided with projections I8a. which 'extend opposite to the engaging hooks 23 and engage in corresponding slots of the guide plate I 60 which are provided for receiving them through the upper slot 63 and for guiding and holding the flaps atright angles to the remainder of the carton blanks during their movement downwardly over the guide plate.

Movable vertically between the carriages is an upper pressure bar H2 and a lower die block H3. The pressure bar is carried from one end by a guide bar II4 slideablein a fixed guide I I5.

The pressure bar is reciprocated in timed relation in any suitable manner as by the engagement of a projection H6 at the lower end of the guide bar II4 with a cam III secured to and rotatable with the shaft 4|.

. The lower die block II3 has an angular groove H8 in its upperface to receive the carton blanks therein and slots H9 extending transversely of the block in the upper edges at spaced distances apart to receive the turned flaps. This die block is provided with downwardly extending guide bars I20 (see Fig. l) which extend through openings in an angular bar I20a in the lower frame 40 of the machine so that the die block willbe accurately supported for vertical movement.

connected to one extremity I23 of a bell crank mounted intermediate its ends upon a pivot I24 and having an arm I25 extending downwardly. 'Anoperatingrod I26 has an end support IZI connecting it to the lower end of the arm I25 and at the other end of the rod is a forked bracket I28 extendingover the operating shaft 4| to maintain the rod in alignment therewith. Extending from thebracket I28 is a projection I29 for engaging a camI30 secured to the shaft 4| so that the rod is moved endwise, rocking the bell crank lever and thereby moving the die block upwardly and downwardly in accordance therewith. I

With this machine constructed as above described and the parts movable in timed relation, carton blanks are fed simultaneously to the carriages at both sides thereof in any suitable manner, the blanks are movedinwardly with the carriages, and the flaps forming the interengaging cross walls are extended together in parallel relation. The operation of the pressure bar and the die block causes the hook lugs of one carton blank to be pushed through the looking slit ofthe opposite carton'section, the side walls to be moved relatively for engaging the hooks and the cartons then released and discharged in assembled or erected condition. To receive the erected cartons, a pair of angular plates I3I are mounted in the lower frame support 40 projecting at the side of the. die block II3 so that an erected carton dislodged from the die block will be engaged, received and held thereby.

The carton erecting operation will be best understood by an examination of Figures 4 to 14 inclusive which show successive positions of the erecting mechanism in the forming of one carton. The feeding of carton blanks simultaneously to each of the carriages forms no particular part of the present invention as this may be done manually or automatically, by depositing blanks at the same time on top of the carriers 44 in operative position, and advancing them to engage the roller 61 with the rollers II in raised position as shown in Fig. 4, the clips being in a yreceiving position as shown more clearly in Fig. i 10. After the clips 80 engage the flaps of a carton blank, the clips are turned at right angles by the movement of their cross bar 86 until the flaps are at right angles to the remainder of the blanks as shown in Fig. 4.

With the flaps of the blanks turned at right angles, the front ends of the carton blanks are tipped downwardly by moving the rollers II downwardly into engagement with the blanks on the rollers 61, thereby moving the flaps downfwardly between the upper projections III] of the separating fingers and into the slots 64 in the guide plate. The downward movement of the blanks under the projections H0 and III of the guiding fingers is continued as shown in Fig. 5 until the rear edge of each blank passes the rollers 61 as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. At this point the carriages which were separated at the start have been moved closely together, the

toothed levers I05 are moved to engage the rear edges of the blanks, and the carton cross walls formed by the flaps are extended oppositely in closely adjacent pairs with the pressure bar II2 remaining in raised position and the lower die block H3 in lowered position. The downward movement of the connected blanks is continued by the toothed levers as shown in Fig. '7, crossing the corresponding opposite flaps in interengaging position, and freeing them from the slots 3. A carton erecting machinefor a two-piece carton comprising two foldable blankseach hav ing flaps hinged along one edge, comprising means for, receiving two carton blanks and advancing them toward a central position with the flaps disposed inwardly,,means for engaging and rotating the flaps at right angles to the, bodies of the blanks, means for guiding and feeding the blanks to bring flaps together in pairs, upper and lower relatively movable diemembers with transverse slots for engaging the flaps and holding them together with the extremities of the flaps projecting at the ends of the slots, means for pressing the side walls of the blanks inwardly against the extremities of the flaps to connect them together, and means for separating the die members for releasing an erected carton and discharging it, in inverted erected position. 4. A carton erecting-machine for a two-piece cellular carton comprising two foldable blanks each having flaps hinged along one edge and extensible at one edge over the opposite folded blank to form cross walls with a side wall in each blank having a locking slit therein and a hook atthe outer edge of each flap inserted through the slit in the wall of the opposite blank,- said machine comprising means for receiving and advancing two blanks toward a' central position with the flaps disposed inwardly, means for engaging and rotating the flaps at right angles to the body portions of the blanksguide means for engaging the turned flaps and directing them oppositely together in pairs, movably mounted upper and, lower holding means with cros slots, including operating means engaging said holdin means with the flaps leaving the hooks thereof projectin from the slots at the sides of said holding means, means for swinging the sides of the blanks against the hooks to insert them through the slits in the walls, said operating means moving sa d holding means while engaged and thereby the flaps, relatively to the side walls of the blanksand engaging the hooks at the ends ofthe wall slits, and means for separating the holding means to discharge the erected carton therefrom.-

,5. In a carton erecting machine for a two-piece carton as described, a supporting base, upper and lower carton holding members vert cally movable centrally of the base, apair of carriages movable laterally toward and from the carton holding means, carton blank feeding and flap rotating means separately movable on each carriage, common driving means for moving the carriage and the said carton holding members and the said feeding and flap rotating means, the means for moving the feeding and flap rotating means comprising a floating driven shaft and a driving connection from the common driving means to the driven shaft and from the driven shaftto the carriage moving and flap rotating means.

6. In a carton erecting machine for a twopiece carton, a supporting base having upper and lower vertically movable carton engaging means, a carriage movable at each side of the engaging means, a common driving shaft for the machine, means connecting the driving shaft for reciprocating the carriages, means mounted on the carriages for feeding and engaging the carton blanks, said means comprising a carriage shaft parallel with the driving shaft and a floatin drive connection between the carriage shaft and the driving shaft, said connection comprising a floating shaft, mounted on a pair of links one extending to the carriage shaft and theother extending to the driving shaft, and a drivenconnection between the floating shaft and the carriage shaft and between the fioating shaft and the driving shaft.

'7. A carton erecting machine comprising a supporting base, a common drivin shaft mounted centrally thereof, a pair of carriages movable toward and from each other on the base, driven means connecting the shaft with each of the carriages for moving them along the base, carton blank engaging means in each carriage comprising a rotatable shaft, means connecting the retatable shaft of each carriage withthe driven means, said driven means comprising a floating intermediate shaft having a connection with the carriage rotatable shaft and with the driving shaft, and mean for interengaging carton blank parts as the carriages are moved together.

8. A carton erecting machine of the class described comprising a pairof carriages mounted for movement toward and from each other, an upper and lower carton holding means movable vertically between the carriages for receiving carton blanks, a guide plate on each carriage hav ing an upper table portion and a downwardly inclined portion with guide slots therein, means for advancing carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable carton flaps at the forward edge of each blank, operating means on each carriage to receive the bendable flaps of a carton blank therein and to turn them at right angles to the body of a carton and to insert the flap portions in the slots of the guide plate, and means to interengage the bendable flaps with the opposite blanks as the carriages are moved together.

9. In a carton erecting machine, a pair of car riages movable toward and from each other, a guide plate on each carriage for receiving carton blanks thereon having an inclined portion with guide slots therein, mean for advancing the car+ riages oppositely together and feeding the blanks in each carriage with the bendable flaps forwardly, means for receiving the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turning them at right angles to the remainder of the blank, and roller means on each carriage for feeding a carton blank down-- wardly to engage the turned flap in the slots of the guide plate.

10. In a carton erecting machine a pair of carriages movable toward and from each other, a guide plate on each carriage having an upper table portion and a downwardly inclined portion with a plurality of guide slots therein having openings at the upper end, means for advancing the carriages oppositely together and feeding the blanks in each carriage with the bendable flaps forwardly, means for receiving the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turningthem at right angles to the remainder of the blank, upper and lower roller means for engaging carton blanks for turning them downwardly on the inclined portion of the plate engaging theflap portions in the slots of the plate, and the lower roller means projecting through the upper opening in the guide plate for engaging the underside of a car,- ton blank when theupper side thereof is engaged by the upper roller means.

11. A carton erecting machine comprising carriages movable toward and from each other, a guide plate mounted in each carriage having an upper table portion and a downwardly inclined portion with guide slots therein, means for advancing the carriages oppositely together and feeding the carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable flaps forwardly, means for receiving the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turn ing them at right angle to the body of the car- 11" ton,-'roller means for engaging a carton blank and feeding the turned flaps. in the guide slots of the plate-and additional feeding means for engaging the rear ends of carton. blanks and feeding them downwardly with the flaps in engagement with the slots of the plate.

r12; In a-carton erecting machine apair of carriages movable toward and from each other, each carriage having a guidev plate with. a'downwardly inclined slotted portioma plurality of guide fingers overlying the plate-and extending between the guide slots, means'for advancing the carriages oppositely together, means for feeding the carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable carton flaps disposedforwardly, means for engaging bendable flaps of a carton blank and turning-them at right angles to the body thereof, roller means for inclining the flap portions downwardly to engage the bent flaps betweenthe fingets and into the .slots of thesplate 'the remaining body of the carton blank extendingbetween the fingers and the plate, .and meansto engage the rear of the carton blank and to feed it'downwardly beyond the point ofengagement of the said roller means. I

@113. A cartcnerecting machine comprising a pairof carriages movable toward. and from each other, a .guideplateoneach carriage for receiving carton .lblanks thereon with a downwardly inclined slotted. portion, means for advancing the carriages oppositely together,.means for feeding the carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable carton flaps. disposed. forwardly, .means for receiving bendable lflaps of a carton blank and turning them at rightangles .to the remainder o'f'the blank, -meanson eachcarriage for feed.- ing the blank downwardly and engaging the turned flaps with the slotsof-the plate, a plurality of fingers overlying the inclined portion of the. plate and spacedtherefrom to allow a blank to slide betweenthe fingersand plate, the lower ends of thefingers.providing abutments for engaging .andlimiting themovement together ofthe carriages. I

14. In a carton erecting machine, a pair of carriages movable toward and from each other, each carriage .having downwardly extending guide meanshaving engaging slots, aplurality of guide fingers overlying the guide means, means for advancing thecarriages oppositely together, meansfor feeding the carton blanks in each carriage with .the bendable .carton flaps disposed forwardly, means-for engaging bendablefiaps of a. carton blank and turning them at right angles to thebody thereof between the fingers and engaging the slots ofthe guide means, means for feeding the cartonv blanks downwardly in the guide means, upper and lower relatively movable ,die members with transverse slots inone of said members for engaging bent flaps of .a carton blank-from. between the said guide fingers, means to raise the die members to'gether'between the earriages for .engagingcarton blanks therein and bending the side walls of carton blanks at an acute angle whilethe extremities of the carton :bl'anks are engaged by the said fingers, and means "for moving'the die [members downwardly together to disengage the flapends of cartons from the guiding fingers.

' 15. In a carton erecting machine for a two piece cellular carton each having flaps hinged along one edge, and each flap havinga projecting hook, said machine comprising carriages mov abletoward and vfrom each other, a guide plate mounted in each carriage having an upper table right angles to th fbody porti'ons of theblanjks,

, 12 portion and a downwardly inclined 'portion with guide slots therein, means for advancing the;carriages oppositely togethenmeans for feeding the carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable carton flaps disposed forwardly, means forreceiving the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turn ing them at right angles to'the body of the carton for engaging in said guide slots, means for feedi ing the blanks downwardly with the opposite flaps disposed interengagingly together, the carriages being movable apart for swinging theinterengaged flaps oppositely in parallel relations, movable upper and lower die members includ ing transverse slots for engaging'the flaps and holding them with the extremities at the ends of the slots, means for raising the die members when the carriages are moved inwardly together, the carriages having projecting fingers for re'- taining engagement with the'carton walls tobend them acutely against the projecting flaps, and the .diemem'bers being movable downwardlyto engage the hooks of the flaps through the'opp'o-i site side walls. Iv

.16. In a carton .erecting machine for a .two piece cellular carton comprising 'two foldable blanks, each havingiflaps hinged alongthe'edg'e with a hook projecting from each flap and alock'-, ing slitin each wall corresponding'to'each hook, said machine comprising carriagesior receiving the carton blanks movable forwardly and rear-1 wardly with respect to each .other, upper and lower carton engaging means .movable upwardly and downwardly between andbelow thecarriages, means in each carriage for rotating the flaps at means for guiding theturned flaps in each c1 riage, means for advancing the carriages oppo: sitely together with the cartonblanks therein, feeding means on each carriage foradvancing'the cartonblanks in said guiding. means togetherjfmf interengaging corresponding flaps, and means'fo'r operating the carriages and the. said cartonen; gaging means in any cycle to interengage the fiaps of opposite blanks to ypull the flaps oppo sitely by spreading the walls connected there-- with to engage the. flaps, when thus spread-apart, with the hooks projecting from the holding means to. raise the carton engaging means upwardly between the carriages, with the free extremities of the carton blanksengaged by the carriage, thereby bending the side walls of th carton blanks, to press the bent'side walls inwardly toward each other inserting "the hook'extremities through the lockslits of opposite carton blanks,

to move the carton engaging means downwardly with respect to the carriages for engaging the hook extremities in the ends of the locking slits, to continue the downward movement of the carton engaging means below the carriages and to discharge the erected carton from the saidengaging means, said machin being further provided with receiving supports at'the's'ides of "the lower carton engaging means, tohold a carton in inverted condition with theiree edgesof'the blanks extending outwardly, and the lower carton engaging means beingm'oved'belowthe said receiving supports to disengagean erected car'- ton from the slots of the engaging means.

17. In a carton erecting machine, a pair of car riages movable toward and from each-other, *a guide plate in each carriage having slots for receiving carton blanks therein and guiding them downwardly together, means foradvancingthe carriages oppositely together and feeding the 'b1anks -in each carriage 'with'the bendable edses forwardly, means for receiving the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turning them at angles to engage the slots of the guide plate, means for advancing opposite carton blanks together for interengaging their bent flaps, upper and lower carton flaps holding means movable upwardly and downwardly between the carriages for folding carton blanks and withdrawing the blanks with interengaged flaps from the guide slots, said carton holding means being movable apart for discharging an erected carton therefrom, and a pair of receiving plates at opposite sides of the lower carton holding means to receive an erected carton in inverted position with the covers of the carton extended when the lower holding means is moved downwardly below the said carton receiv ing plates.

18. In a carton erecting machine a pair of carriages movable toward and from each other, each carriage having a guide plate with a downwardly inclined slotted portion, means on each carriage for engaging bendable flaps and hook lugs of a carton blank and turning them at right angles to the body thereof, means for advancing the carriages oppositely together, means for feedin the carton blanks in each carriage with the bendable carton flaps disposed forwardly, means for feeding the blanks together with their bent flaps in interengaging position, a lower die member with transverse slots for receiving the interengaged flaps of opposite carton blanks, means below the carriages for guiding the lower die member in a vertical direction below and between the carriages, an upper die member in the form of a pressure bar extending over the lower die member, means at one end of the pressure bar for guiding and moving it verticall with respect to the lower die member and between the carriages, the die members being movable together to enage carton blanks therebetween, then upwardly to engage the blank hook lugs in the opposite carton walls and downwardly to withdraw the erected carton from the carriage guide plates and then movable apart to discharge an erected carton from between the dies.

19. In a carton erecting machine, a supporting base, a pair of carriages movable toward and from a central position on said base, means on each carriage for receiving a carton blank, for engaging the bendable flaps of a carton blank and turning them at right angles to the remainder of the blank, and for feeding the blank downwardly at the inner end of the carriage; means for feeding the blanks from opposite carriages together to interengage the bendable flaps of opposite carton blanks; upper and lower carton blank engaging means mounted for vertical movement in the machine base for holding carton blanks together and. withdrawing them from the carriages, and common driving means in the machine base for reciprocating the carriages, for continuously activating the said blank feeding means of each carriage while it is in motion, and for actuating the upper and lower carton receiving means all in proper timed relation with respect to each other.

20. A machine for assembling and'erecting a pair of complementary slitted blanks having flaps with hook lugs, as described, to form a cellular carton comprising means for turning the flaps of each blank through approximately means for advancing the two blanks into intorfitting relation wherein the flaps of each pair lie side by side, and means for folding each blank for advancing the slitted portion thereof over the hook lugs projecting from the flaps.

- 21. A machine for assembling and erecting a pair of complementary slitted blanks each having flaps with hook lugs projecting along one side, as described, to form a cellular carton, comprising means for turning the flaps of each blank through approximately 90, means for advancing the two blanks into interfitting relation wherein the flaps of each pair lie side by side, means for folding each blank for advancing the slitted portion thereof over the hook lugs projecting from the flaps, and means for shifting the lugs and slitted blank portions relative to each other whereby the lugs become interlocked therewith.

22. In a machine for assembling and erecting a pair of complementary slitted blanks: having flaps with hook lugs projecting therefrom at one side and corresponding to the slits, as described, to form a cellular carton, comprising means for holding the blanks horizontally at opposite sides of the machine with the flaps disposed inwardly, means for turning the flaps through 90' at the ends of the blanks, means for engaging the turned flaps and directing them oppositely together in airs, upper and lower holding dies with cross slots for engaging the flaps but leaving the hooks thereof projecting at the sides, and means for swinging the sides of the blanks against the hooks of the opposite blanks to insert them through the wall slots.

23. The method of assembling and erecting a cellular carton from a pair of complementary slitted blanks having flaps with projecting hooks along one edge, which comprises feeding two similar carton blanks with their flaps disposed inwardly toward each other, turning the flaps at the adjacent ends of the blanks through 90 until opposite flaps are located side by side in pairs, extending crosswise between the blanks in cross wall relation to the opposite sides, seating the flaps together in pairs in their cross wall relation, swinging the side walls of the carton blanks inwardly against the projecting hooks of the opposite flaps, and supporting the blanks at the top and bottom during their relative erecting movements.

24. The method of assembling and erecting a pair of complementary slitted blanks each having a row of flaps with hooks projecting therefrom to correspond with the slitted portions,

No references cited. 

